Steam atomizing burner nozzle



June 20, 1967 E. G. GJERDE STEAM ATOMIZING BURNER NOZZLE Filed Sept. 13, 1965 F IIE-q FIE- E- INVENTOR. ERWIN 6. C53 ERDE' 6512 212M ATTORNEYS United States Patent 3,326,472 STEAM ATOMIZING BURNER NOZZLE Erwin G. Gjerde, Whittier, Califi, assignor to Hydro Combustion Corporation, Santa Fe Springs, Calif., a corporation of California Filed Sept. 13, 1965, Ser. No. 486,791 2 Claims. (Cl. 239-4275) The present invention relates generally to burners for firing industrial and domestic heating equipment and more particularly to a new and novel steam atomizing burner.

It is a major object of the present invention to provide a steam atomizing burner nozzle of maximum efficiency.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a steam atomizing burner nozzle which will alternatively operate on gas and oil or on gas or oil.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a steam atomizing burner nozzle provided with unique spirally inclined air-receiving apertures which are arranged to obtain maximum turbulence within such nozzle.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide a steam atomizing burner nozzle which is simple in design and rugged of construction utilizing no moving arts. p Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a steam atomizing burner nozzle which will afford a long, useful and trouble-free service life.

These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, when taken in conjunction with the appended drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred form of steam atomizing burner nozzle embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a central vertical sectional view taken in enlarged scale along line 22 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 3-3 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical sectional View taken along line 4-4 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 5 is a vertical sectional view taken along line 55 of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 6 is a broken sectional view taken along line 66 of FIGURE 4 and showing a unique air-receiving aperture utilized with said nozzle; and

FIGURE 7 is a broken sectional view taken on line 77 of FIGURE 6.

Referring to the drawings, a preferred form of steam atomizing burner nozzle embodying the present invention includes a cylindrical body B formed at its front end with a nose member N. The body B is also formed with an integral steam-receiving fitting 10 and an integral oilreceiving fitting 12. The front end of the nose member N is provided with a tubular neck 14 through which is adapted to be directed a combustible gas. The nose N is also provided with a plurality of air-receiving apertures 16 of like configuration.

More particularly, the nose member N is rigidly aflixed to the front of the body B as by welding. The body B is formed with a coaxial longitudinal bore 20 that extends rearwardly from the front of such body. Immediately to the rear of bore 20 the body B is formed With a front counterbore 22 of greater diameter than the bore 20. Body B is also formed with a rear counterbore 24 having the same outer diameter as the front counterbore 22. An intermediate counterbore 26 is formed between front and rear counterbores 22 and 24 so as to connect same.

A coaxial inner barrel 28 extends rearwardly from bore 20 in telescopic relationship thereto. The front end of the inner barrel 28 is rigidly affixed to the front of the body B as by welding. The outer periphery of the inner barrel 28 corresponds to the diameter of the bore 20.

The rear end of the inner barrel 28 terminates a short distance rearwardly of the front end of the rear counterbore 24.

The body B is also provided with an outer barrel 30 that extends coaxially rearwardly into the rear aperture 24 from a circumferential groove 32 formed at the rear portion of the intermediate counterbore 26. The inner periphery of the outer barrel 30 coincides with the inner periphery of the intermediate counterbore 26. The rear end of the outer barrel 30 terminates forwardly of the rear end of rear counterbore 24.

The rear end of the body B is rigidly affixed as by welding to a discharge tube 36. The front end of tube 36 is telescopically disposed within the rear portion of rear counterbore 24. The inner periphery of the tube 36 generally coincides with the inner periphery of the outer barrel 30. The front end of the discharge tube 36 terminates rearwardly of the rear end of the outer barrel 30 so as to define a circumferential oil inlet 38, as shown particularly in FIGURE 2.

The aforementioned steam fitting 10 is of upstanding tubular configuration formed with a vertical bore 40 that is internally threaded to receive a steam line (not shown). The bore 40 extends downwardly into communication with the front counterbore 22. The oil inlet 12 is formed with an internally threaded bore 42 that extends into communication with the rear counterbore 24. Bore 42 receives an oil line (not shown).

The sides of the nose member N curve forwardly and radially inwardly, as indicated by the reference numeral 50, so as to integrally merge into the aforementioned tubular neck 14. Such neck 14 is externally threaded to receive a gas line (not shown). The inner periphery 54 of the neck 52 defines the aforementioned gas inlet 14. The air-receiving apertures 16 formed in the side of the neck member N are preferably drilled at an inclined angle relative to both the longitudinal and the axial axes of the neck member N.

In the operation of the aforedescribed apparatus, a pressurized combustible gas is forced through the tubular neck 14 as indicated by the directional arrow in FIGURE 2. Concurrently, pressurized oil is forced through the oilreceiving fitting 12 while pressurized steam is forced through the steam-receiving fitting 10. Passage of this steam rearwardly through the nozzle will draw gas and air into the confines of the nozzle, such air entering through apertures 16 so as to be mixed with the rearwardly flowing gas. Because of the spiral configuration of the apertures 16 a vortex will be created so as to achieve maximum turbulence and hence intermixing of the steam and air within the inner barrel 28. The rearwardly flowing mixture of gas and air will be mixed with the steam, such steam entering the confines of the nozzle through steam inlet 10, front counterbore 22 and the intermediate counterbore 26. Oil entering through inlet 12, rear counterbore 24 and oil inlet 38 will be thoroughly intermixed with the gas, air and steam mixture. The oil and gas is preheated and vaporized before ignition with this arrangement. Since the oil inlet 38 is disposed in a negative pressure zone during normal burner operation, the pressure of the oil supply may be relatively low even where heavy residual fuel oils are being burned.

Preferably, the area of the air apertures 16 will bear a predetermined ratio to the circumferential area of the gas inlet tube 54. It has been determined that the area of these apertures should be approximately four times the internal cross-sectional area of the neck. This arrangement provides automatic control of the ratio of air to gas.

If desired, the aforementioned nozzle may be operated without introducing oil thereinto and instead utilizing sole- 3 ly gas entering through the neck 14. Alternatively, the nozzle may be operated utilizing solely oil entering through inlet 12. This affords maximum flexibility with respect to available resources at the burner site.

While there has been shown and described what is presently considered to be a preferred embodiment of the present invention, it will be apparent that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A steam atomizing burner nozzle comprising:

a cylindrical body formed with a longitudinal bore,

said body also being formed with a front counterbore and a rear counterbore that are connected by an intermediate counterbore;

an inner barrel extending longitudinally rearwardly from the front of said bore, the front end of said inner barrel being affixed to said body;

an outer coaxial barrel extending rearwardly from the front of said rear counterbore and having its front end secured to said body, with the inner surface of said outer barrel generally coinciding with the inner periphery of said intermediate counterbore;

steam inlet means on said body communicating with said front counterbore;

oil inlet means on said body communicating with said rear counterbore;

a nose member secured to the front of said body and having an inwardly and forwardly tapering front portion, the sides of said nose member being formed with a plurality of spirally inclined air-receiving apertures;

a tubular gas-receiving neck formed on the front end of said nose member with the area of said apertures and the internal cross-sectional area of said neck bearing a predetermined ratio; and

a discharge tube secured within the rear end of said rear counterb-ore, the space between the front of said discharge tube and the rear end of said outer barrel defining an oil inlet.

2. A burner as set forth in claim 1 wherein the area of said apertures is approximately four times the in- 20 ternal area of said neck.

No references cited.

EVERETT W. KIR-BY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STEAM ATOMIZING BURNER NOZZLE COMPRISING: A CYLINDRICAL BODY FORMED WITH A LONGITUDINAL BORE, SAID BODY ALSO BEING FORMED WITH A FRONT COUNTERBORE AND A REAR COUNTERBORE THAT ARE CONNECTED BY AN INTERMEDIATE COUNTERBORE; AN INNER BARREL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY REARWARDLY FROM THE FRONT OF SAID BORE, THE FRONT END OF SAID INNER BARREL BEING AFFIXED TO SAID BODY; AN OUTER COAXIAL BARREL EXTENDING REARWARDLY FROM THE FRONT OF SAID REAR COUNTERBORE AND HAVING ITS FRONT END SECURED TO SAID BODY, WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID OUTER BARREL GENERALLY COINCIDING WITH THE INNER PERIPHERY OF SAID INTERMEDIATE COUNTERBORE; STEAM INLET MEANS ON SAID BODY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID FRONT COUNTERBORE; OIL INLET MEANS ON SAID BODY COMMUNICATING WITH SAID REAR COUNTERBORE; A NOSE MEMBER SECURED TO THE FRONT OF SAID BODY AND HAVING AN INWARDLY AND FORWARDLY TAPERING FRONT PORTION, THE SIDES OF SAID NOSE MEMBER BEING FORMED WITH A PLURALITY OF SPIRALLY INCLINED AIR-RECEIVING APERTURES; A TUBULAR GAS-RECEIVING NECK FORMED ON THE FRONT END OF SAID NOSE MEMBER WITH THE AREA OF SAID APERTURES AND THE INTERNAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA OF SAID NECK BEARING A PREDETERMINED RATIO; AND A DISCHARGE TUBE SECURED WITHIN THE REAR END OF SAID REAR COUNTERBORE, THE SPACE BETWEEN THE FRONT OF SAID DISCHARGE TUBE AND THE REAR END OF SAID OUTER BARREL DEFINING AN OIL INLET. 